Cotton-picker



(Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheetl 1.

D. RAWL.

COTTON PICKER.

No. 266,884. W Y

(Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

D. RAWL. COTTON PICKER.

180.288,884. .Patented 008. 81., 14882.

UNITED STATES l PATENT EEicE.

DM-AVID RAWL, OF BATESBURGSOUTH CAROLINA.

COTTON-PICKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of `Letters Patent No. 266,884, dated October 3l, 1582.

Application filed August 14, 1882. (Model.)

To all whom it may concern: Y

Be it known that I, DAVID RAWL, of .Batesburg, in the county ot' Lexington and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Pickers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ot the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference beinghad to the accompanyingdrawings,which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an iml'irovement in machines for picking cotton; and it consists, first, in a series ot' spindles which are serrated on one side and provided with a ange, and which spindles are made to revolve at the same time that they are made to move in and out from the center; second, in the combination ot' a series of spindles which have both an endwise and a rotary motion, and suitable mechanism for operating thein,`endless carriers for conveying the cotton, an'd a receptacle into which the cottonV i's dropped as the machine is moved along on wheels, all of which will be 4more fullyv described hereinafter.

Figure l is a side elevation et' my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Figs. 3 and 6 are detached views of one ot' the spindles. Figs. 4 and 5 are end views.

A represents a suitable rectangular frame, which 1s nicely balanced upon the driving wheels B. Upon the front end of this frame are secured the four stationary standards C, which are united together at their upper ends by the cross rod or bar l). In between these standards are placed the usual guides, E,which catch the cotton stalks or branches and guide them in to where the cotton-picking devices are to operate upon the bolls. Through the center ot' the frame is lei't the usual opening, so that the machine can he driven along over the top of the row, and thus have the plants pass through the center ot' the machine in the usual manner.

Mounted upon the rear end of the frame are the two standards G, in which the drivingshaft H is journalcd.' This driving-shaft is provided with two large pulleys, I, and two smaller pulleys, J, all fourot' which are groovcd, and around which pass the driving cords or bands K. The bauds from the smaller pulleys pass back and forth around the pulleys L, which are placed upon the outer ends of the spindles, while the bands fromthe larger pulleys pass back and forth around another series of pulleys, M, arranged on a line with the outer series, and through which the spindles pass. These pulleys have sleeves a formed upon their inner sides, and these sleeves serve to force oi' any of the cotton which may have been caught by the spindles as theyT are moving backward. As the spindles are moving inward toward the center of the machine7 so as to operate upon the cotton, these pulleys M serve simply as guides through which the spindles pass; but when the spindles are retracted they prevent any of the cotton from clinging to the spindles. In between the guides which direct the limbs of the plants in position to be operated upon and the standards in which the spindles are journaled there is sufficient space left for the cotton to drop freely down upon the endless` belts or carriers N, which carry the cotton backward toward the operator and deposit it in the receptacle O, formed in the rear part of the frame for that purpose. These carriers are operated by means ofthe spur-wheel P, which is secured to the cranked shaft Q,journaled in the standards It, and which spur-wheel meshes with suitable teeth or gearing upon thedrivingshat't. As the cranked shaft revolves it not only operates the endless belts or carriers which pass around pulleys c, which are. secured to it, but the crank also operates the pitman S,which extends toward the front end ot' the machine.

Secured to the pitman near its t'ront end are the two connecting-rods T, which have their outer ends fastened te the springarms V,which are rigidly secured at their rear ends, one on each side, upon the top ofthe rear cross-bar of the frame. Secured to the inner side 0i' the front end of these spring-arms are the vertical standards IV, in between which the pulleys L, which operate the spindles, are journaled. rEhe front ends of the spring-arms V are drawn inward by the connecting-rods T, as shown in Fig. 1, for the purpose ot' forcing the spindles d in through the branches of the cottonplants while the pitman S is being drawn backward. As soon as the crank begins to force the pitman forward the springarms V begin to spring outward, so as to retract the sp'indles. As the forward ends of thespring-arms are Vdrawn inward they move the two standards W, which are secured to the front end of each spring-arm, inward toward the outer sides of the standards C until the standards W strike against the standards C. When the spring-arms V are drawn inwardV the spindlesd are forced through their guid-l ing-pulleys M, and through openings made in the guides E,bet\veen which the cotton is held, and these spindles then operate upon the bolls, so as to extract the cotton. The cotton adheres to the spindles, on account of their peculiar shape, until the springs begin their outward movement, when the guiding-pulleys through which the spindles pass serve to force the cotton oi and to drop it upon the endless carriers. Each one ot' the spindles d has a iange or shoulder, I', formed upon one side, which extends out any suitable distance from the side ot' the spindle, and this shoulder is serrated, as shown, so as to-cause the spindle to take hold of the cotton. Y

This machine will be evenly balanced upon the wheels, so that the operator can catch hold of the rear end of the frame with one hand and guide the machine in any direction, while he turns the crank with the other. This machine may be operated by power, but is specially adapted to be moved along through the iield by a single person.

Having thus described my invention, I claimthem and a seriesof cleaningdevices,substantially as shown. 7

2. In a cotton-picker, the combination of two seriesofendwise-moving and serrated spindles with meansby which they are thrust into the cotton-plants from opposite sides, cleaning devices, a mechanism for revolving them, the spring-arms V, connecting-rods, pitinan, and. cranked driving shaft, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the spring-arms having a series'of revolving spindles connected to their front ends, the connecting-rods, the pitman, and the cranked shaft, whereby the spindles are moved back and forth through suitable guides to and from the center ot' the machine, substantially as set forth.

4. In a cotton-picker, the combination ot' two series of end Wise-moving and serrated spindles,

two series ot` pulleys for revolving-them, and two series of revolving pulleys provided with the cleaning devices a, through which the spindles pass, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I afljx my signature in presence ot' two Witnesses.

DAVID RAWL. Witnesses:

JOHN WELLS JONES, N. M. J oNEs. 

